# Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1914_S28
# AI translation — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

28 Proceedings of the twenty-fifth convention

kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to you!" (Matt. 23:37.) And Stephen said: "You stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit, as your fathers did, so do you." (Acts 7:51.) That is the rebellious, stubborn, treacherous material from which the good soldiers of Jesus Christ are recruited. Of those who had crucified Christ, three thousand were enrolled in Christ's army at Pentecost; and among those who stoned Stephen and persecuted Christians was Paul.

Who recruits the soldiers of Jesus Christ? Christ does. He enters the camp of the enemies with his Gospel. He reveals himself as the true Son of God and Son of Man, the Savior of the world, who by his vicarious suffering and death has atoned for the sins of the world. Through this glad tidings Christ removes the enmity of the enemies, makes the unwilling willing. The rebels become loyal followers and enter as volunteers under the banner of Christ. They have not been pressed into service by force; they have been won in a friendly way; they have been convinced; they are now willing and eager. "He has saved us and called us with a holy calling." (2 Tim. 1:9.) We love him because he first loved us.

Who is the leader of the soldiers of Jesus Christ? Christ has enrolled us in his army, he himself leads us. The recruiting officer is at the same time the commander in chief. And Christ is not a man who had recruited us for another, to sell us to a foreign power, so that we should fight its battles against enemies whom we do not know and who have done us no harm. He leads us into the battle against his own enemies, who at the same time are also our enemies. "Follow me! says Christ, our hero; follow me, all you Christians!" We are a royal bodyguard regiment.

Against what enemy does Christ lead his soldiers? He has come to destroy the works of the devil. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Eph. 6:12.) "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Pet. 5:8.)

The old evil foe
Means business now in earnest.
Great might and much craft
His cruel armor is —
On earth is not his equal.

With what weapons, however, are we to fight this enemy? We know that we are not going out on parade, and that the Lord is not leading us into a sham battle. It is serious work. Therefore